


Lean on me

by Hellyea2nuandmore



Series: 2nu oneshots [4]
Category: Gorillaz
Genre: 2D is a supportive boi, 2nu, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Holding in emotions is bad, Noodle's equally supportive of 2D, flashbacks to phase 3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-21
Updated: 2018-10-21
Packaged: 2019-08-05 10:27:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16366154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hellyea2nuandmore/pseuds/Hellyea2nuandmore
Summary: "I'll lean on you and you lean on me and we'll be okay"---2D and Noodle are there for each other when they're feeling angry, down or just a little bit sad





	Lean on me

**Author's Note:**

> Italics means flashback to phase 3

They had made a silent promise to each other - to be there for each other when they were angry or upset or just feeling down.

 

They hid a lot from the others but not to each other and they made sure it stayed that way. Noodle wasn’t the most open person but she was trying her best to be with 2D. He didn’t need to worry about her keeping secrets on top of what he already went through.

 

She glanced down at 2D who was lying on the bed beside her, head on her lap. He was staring at the ceiling with a vacant expression on his face. It had been a rough day for him today even more so than usual. There were no physical injuries but Murdoc had been yelling even more than usual and Russel was more impatient than usual.

 

After a grand failure of a band practice, 2D had made his way to her room and flopped onto the bed beside her. She had dropped what she had been doing and sat next to him on the bed, opening her arms invitingly. 

 

She didn’t say anything. There wasn’t anything that needed to be said out loud.

 

He had accepted quickly, moving to place his head on her legs. She begun to fiddle with his hair and hum quietly knowing it was a good way to calm the singer down and hopefully ease the pain of his migraines slightly.

 

Noodle had felt him relax instantly much to her relief.

 

A few hours had passed now and they hadn’t moved from that position. She idly continued to play with his hair, mindlessly twisting it into small plaits after leaning down and giving his forehead a quick kiss. 2D sighed contently beneath her and nestled further into her lap as he drifted off to sleep. Happy that the singer had relaxed, she allowed herself to glance down at his sleeping face.

 

The rare times 2D had a good sleep were always the times he was most relaxed she had noticed over the years. She knew she couldn’t get him to sleep every night but she could try and get him to sleep as much as possible.

 

If it meant making him happy, Noodle was willing to do nearly anything.

 

\---

 

_ Upon arrival at plastic beach, Noodle found herself drawn towards 2D. _

 

_ He never seemed to expect anything of her whenever he saw her like the others did. Murdoc expected her to leap right back into playing guitar and Russel expected her to go back to being the same little girl he had known before. She wasn’t sure how to explain to the drummer that she was no longer the 10 year old girl he had met. _

 

_ 2D, however, seemed to understand that perfectly and simply greeted her with a smile and a wave, not expecting her to say or do anything. She supposed after being imprisoned in a room with no way to talk to anyone other than maybe Murdoc it made sense. _

 

_ It started with simply choosing to stand or sit near him. He never pointed it out or complained just smiled at her and continued with what he was doing. _

_ She had grown fed up of sitting alone in her room all day but at the same time didn’t feel quite ready to talk. Everyday she was scared that her bandmates would realise how much she had changed and leave her alone once more and every day it came closer to consuming her entirely. _

 

_ She feared one day she’d break. _

 

_ Beside her 2D looked over at her, tilting his head in a silent question. The singer was clearly concerned for her. _

 

_ Noodle smiled at him reassuringly with a small nod. _

 

_ Simply being near him was enough to alleviate her fears slightly even if it was for a moment. _

 

\---

 

Noodle played her guitar louder than usual whenever she was upset. The louder it was the more upset she was. Almost everyone avoided her when she was angry - an angry Noodle was not someone people wanted to be around.

 

In the past she would have let out her anger by yelling or lashing out. Things would be broken and thrown at anyone who came into the room.

 

She had hurt someone in a moment of anger that had blinded her to her surroundings.

Noodle had quickly learned to vent her anger through her guitar. They got plenty of noise complaints but this way no-one got hurt. Her bandmates never disturbed her and would give her the space she needed to calm down.

 

For the most part.

 

2D would come to check in on her a while after she had stopped playing. He wouldn’t say anything sometimes, he may just sit near her which was enough to placate her enough to talk. She rarely said so out loud but she appreciated it.

 

He seemed to know already judging by the small knowing smile he’d give her once she had calmed.

 

\---

 

_ She found him on the rooftop. _

 

_ Murdoc had been even grouchier than usual and, unsurprisingly, it had lead to an argument between him and 2D. The result had been 2D running off with a black eye to who knows where. Noodle had chased after him immediately. _

 

_ “There you are,” she sighed in relief as she crawled through the window and onto the roof. “I was getting worried.” _

 

_ 2D looked back in alarm but relaxed when he saw it was her. “No need to concern yourself about me, love.” _

 

_ She sat next to him and looked up at the bruise that was forming around his eye. “I always worry about you Toochi,” she mumbled quietly, reaching up to press a hand to his face. _

 

_ He smiled weakly at her. “You haven’t called me that in ages,” he pointed out. “Why now?” _

 

_ She shrugged. “Instinct I guess,” she explained. “I just...felt like it. Do you not want me to call you that?” _

 

_ “Course you can, love,” he assured her sweetly. “I’ve always liked that little nickname you gave me.” _

 

_ His smile faded and he winced as she gently prodded at the forming bruise accidentally. “Oh, sorry Toochi,” she apologised quickly. _

 

_ “It’s alright, no harm done,” he sighed as he looked away from her. She could tell something was wrong by the way he was frowning. _

 

_ “What’s wrong?” _

 

_ No answer. _

 

_ “Toochi, please,” she urged gently. “You can tell me.” _

 

_ 2D looked over at her and sighed deeply. “I just...I want to leave this island,” he confessed quietly. “I don’t want to leave the band, but I hate this bloody island. It’s driving me insane, noods!” _

 

_ She nodded sympathetically. She couldn’t say the same thing hadn’t crossed her mind several times. Unsure of what to say she simply shuffled nearer to him and pulled him into an awkward hug. _

 

_ He stiffened slightly but soon relaxed into the hug and returned it gratefully. “You’re the only thing keeping me here, Noods.” _

Same with you _ , she thought to herself. _

  
  


\---

 

2D was sat in the corridor curled up in a ball. His head was pounding making it hard to focus on his surroundings.

 

He knew he had to get to band practice but the pain had shot up from dull throbbing to a sharp acute pain that consumed him. He was left only to sit and whimper pitifully as he waited for the pain to subside.

 

Someone kneeled down beside him and tried to speak to him. He thought she was saying his name but he couldn’t quite focus, he only whined and recoiled. “My head….my head….” he forced out. “I can’t…”

 

The figure shushed him and gently urged him to stand, mumbling something encouragingly as he obeyed. She propped him up and guided him back down the hall and past his room. The room they entered eventually smelled sweet and a bit like perfume. He was sat down on something comfy and his head tilted up to look at them.

 

His fuzzy mind eventually recognised her as Noodle.

 

Noodle began speaking again and he could only stare blankly. She sighed and moved away from him. He whimpered and reached for her quickly, holding her wrist lightly. She looked at him and gently removed his wrist but holding his hand for a short time. Then she let go and moved away again.

 

When Noodle returned she was holding a glass of water and some pills and offered them to him. He accepted them quickly, swallowing the pills as fast as he could in desperation to relieve the pain. Noodle sat beside him and began humming quietly.

 

The pain eventually begun to fade and he could finally begin to process things properly. “Noods?” he mumbled.

 

Noodle visibly perked up as he spoke. “Back with us, Toochi?” she asked carefully.

 

“Yeah, I think so. Still a little fuzzy but….” He paused. “I think I can actually make sense of most things now.”

 

“Good, I was getting worried,” she sighed in relief. “Murdoc was getting absolutely furious when you didn’t turn up. He was about to come look for you himself when I said I would go instead.”

2D scratched his head sheepishly. “Thanks love, Murdoc would’ve murdered me.”

 

She hummed contently. “We made a promise, remember?” she reminded him. “I plan on sticking to it.”

 

\---

 

_ She barely caught the guitar Murdoc threw at her. _

 

_ “Get your ass to the studio now,” Murdoc ordered gruffly. “I’ve had enough of waitin’ around for you to be ‘ready’ whatever the bloody fuck that means. Band practice. Now.” _

 

_ The bassist turned and walked off thinking his job was done. Noodle watched him with a blank expression and put the guitar down slowly. _

 

_ “No.” _

 

_ He turned slowly to face her. “Pardon, love.” _

 

_ She met his gaze with a measured look. “I said no,” she repeated firmly. _

 

_ “No?” _

 

_ “I’m sorry Murdoc but...I can’t,” she apologised. “Not yet. I need more time.” _

 

_ “It’s been 5 months since you arrived!” Murdoc pointed out. “You’ve had enough time to get over yourself.” _

 

_ “These things take time, Murdoc,” she insisted calmly. “They can take a long time. In the meantime you’ll just have to wait.” _

 

_ He scowled and stalked over to her. She stood her ground refusing to run. “I can’t just halt production because a little girl refuses to play guitar because she’s  _ scared _!” _

 

_ The stoic facade broke and the anger that she had been holding back for so long bubbled up to the surface. “Hasn’t anyone  _ ever _ told you that patience is a virtue?” She hissed, her voice dangerously quiet. _

 

_ The bassist backed away a little bit, eying her nervously. “Easy now Noods.” _

 

_ “Don’t call me that, you have no right to call me that!” Her voice rose with each word she spoke. “You lost that right 5 years ago!” _

 

_ “5 years ago? You’re still hung up on that?” he scoffed. “I said I was sorry, didn’t I?” _

 

_ “Sorry doesn’t cut it!” she fired back. “You almost got me killed, how does just saying ‘sorry’ make up for that? You have no idea what I went through - what  _ you _ made me go through in those 5 years!” _

 

_ “What else am I meant to say, Noodle?” _

 

_ “It’s more than just what you say, it’s what you do to make up for it,” she reasoned harshly. “You have done nothing to make up for it. You don’t give me the space or time to heal and it’s always “When will the old Noodle be back? When will you play with the band again?” over and over.” _

 

_ Noodle was aware that she was yelling now, she could faintly see 2D cowering in the doorway unsure whether to intervene or stay hidden. She could feel tears - hot, angry tears - rolling down her face. _

 

_ “Bloody hell, it’s times like this where I miss cyborg,” Murdoc grumbled shooting her a dirty look. “Nowhere near as bloody emotional.” _

 

_ The noise that she made could only be called a roar as she lunged at him. The bassist recoiled quickly and hit the coffee table as he began to scramble away. Blinded by her pure rage, she grabbed the nearest object to her - a book she’d been reading - and threw it at him. _

 

_ He dodged and stared at her with wide eyes, hands held up to protect himself. _

 

_ She threw another object - another book - at at him. _

 

_ He dodged once more. _

 

_ 2D fell to the ground with a yell as the book collided with his face. _

 

_ The noise broke Noodle out of her anger induced trance and she could only stare as 2D unsteadily got back on his feet. _

 

_ “Toochi….I…”she started before trailing off. _

 

_ Both men stared at her, Murdoc was in disbelief and 2D’s gaze was just vacant of anything. _

 

_ Guilt flooded through her and she slapped a hand over her mouth, unable to speak. _

 

_ “Noods, it’s okay,” 2D tried to comfort her. _

 

_ She could only shake her head and run out of the room. _

 

_ \--- _

 

It was one of those nights where sleep was evading her.

 

Fed up of lying in bed awake, she had decided to go and get a drink of water from the kitchen. Not wanting to risk disturbing her bandmates by switching the lights on, she had fumbled her way through the kitchen trying to find a glass. She had ended up making more of a ruckus than intended but it seemed no one had woken up.

 

She was soon proven wrong.

 

“What are you doin’ up at this hour, love?” 2D asked as he sauntered into the room, a sleepy grin on his face.

 

Noodle jolted in surprise as he spoke, the glass falling out of her hand. “Toochi,” she chuckled breathlessly. “You scared me.”

 

“Sorry love,” he apologised sheepishly. “I got woken up by a noise coming from the kitchen and came to investigate and all that.”

 

She closed her eyes with a sigh. “Gomen! That was me,” she admitted. “I was trying to get a glass of…” She looked down at the shattered glass on the floor. “...water which I’ve now dropped on the floor.”

 

2D moved to pick the glass shards up. “It’s alright, love,” he assured her calmly. “I can help you clear it up.”

 

Noodle batted his hands away quickly. “You’ll hurt yourself, Toochi,” she pointed out. “Besides this is my mess so I’ll clean it up.”

 

He frowned but moved away and sat on a chair, watching her as she carefully moved to get a dustpan and brush. He didn’t say anything as she sweeped up the glass and deposited the shards in the bin.

 

“Remind me to buy a new glass in the morning,” she chirped as she turned to face him. Her smile faded when she saw him frowning. “What’s wrong?”

 

“Why won’t you let me help you?” he asked quietly. “We help each other, remember?”

 

“We lean on each other,” she mumbled quietly as she sat down beside him. “I know, Toochi. I’m sorry I didn’t mean it as if I don’t need your help. I just didn’t want you getting hurt over my clumsiness.”

 

He smiled at her. “Your clumsiness?”he teased lightly. “I think you’re forgetting who you’re talkin’ to, love.”

 

Noodle laughed quietly and nodded. “Point taken, but I still don’t want you getting hurt,” she insisted. “You know how I hate seeing you hurt...and I don’t want to be the reason why.” She looked away with a sigh. “Not again.”

 

“I’ve already told you a million times, I don’t blame you for that,” 2D reminded her.

 

She shook her head in disbelief. “I still disagree with you on that.”

 

“So, what are you doing up this late? You never answered,” He changed the topic quickly knowing she didn’t like to talk about that incident too much.

 

She gave him a grateful smile and shrugged her shoulders. “Couldn’t sleep,” she answered honestly. “I got fed up of just lying in bed awake so I came to get a drink.”

 

“Do you still need a drink?”

 

“No, I’m good now,” she yawned feeling her eyelids getting heavier. “Thank you, Toochi.”

 

He grinned at her once more and stood up, offering her a hand. “Come on, let’s get you back to bed.”

 

Noodle stared at him blankly but accepted his hand anyway. “Alright,” she conceded.

 

They began to walk towards her room when she halted. He looked back at her in concern. “You ok, Noods?”

 

“Yeah I’m fine, just…”She paused to think. “Thank you.”

 

“For what?”

 

“For just...being you,” she mumbled quietly. “For…”

 

“Being there for you?” he finished for her. “We did promise y’know? Besides, I’d be there for you even if we didn’t.”

 

\---

_ There was a knock at her door. _

 

_ After fleeing from the living room Noodle had locked herself away in her room, ignoring Murdoc when he yelled at her through the door or tried to force his way in. Russel had tried to find out what happened through the window prompting her to shut them and draw the curtains. She sat on her bed in the darkness of the room, staring at the wall. _

 

_ “Go away Murdoc,” she said loudly but void of emotion. _

 

_ “It’s not Murdoc, love,” 2D squeaked from the other side of the door. “Can...can i come in?” _

 

_ She breathed shakily and forced herself to her feet. She unlocked the door without a word before moving back to her bed. _

 

_ The door opened slightly allowing 2D to enter. The two of them stared at each other in silence, her eyes going straight to the large bruise on his face where the book had hit.  _

 

_ “I always hated seeing you hurt,” she breathed shakily, feeling herself about to cry again. “And now I’m the reason why…” _

 

_ He noticed how her eyes were shining with unshed tears immediately and rushed over to her, pulling her into a hug. “It’s okay, Noods,” he tried to comfort her. “I’ve dealt with worse.” _

 

_ She pulled herself out of the hug as fast as she could and stared at him incredulously. “It’s not okay!” she wailed hysterically. “I hurt you, Toochi. I let my anger blind me and I ended up hurting you.” _

 

_ “I don’t blame you one bit, love,” he insisted.  _

 

_ “You should!” she cried forlornly. “You should be furious at me and not want to talk to me again!” _

 

_ “That’s ridiculous love,” 2D reasoned evenly. “Why should I ever be mad at you? Why would I ever blame you for an accident?” _

 

_ “Because I hurt you,” she whispered more to herself but loud enough for him to hear. “Because I broke and ended up hurting the person closest to me…” _

 

_ “Murdoc was being an ass. That would make anyone angry, the way he was talking to you!” _

 

_ “It’s not just that, Toochi,” she sighed. “Not just the way he was talking to me, I mean.” _

 

_ “What else then?” _

 

_ “Ever since I arrived here, it’s just been frustration upon frustration piling on top of one another,” she confessed to him. “Murdoc keeps expecting me to play with the band again, Russel still sees me as the child that arrived in a Fedex crate and so does Murdoc for that matter!” _

 

_ “Have I…?” _

 

_ “Added on to my frustrations? No, you haven’t,” she smiled weakly. “No, you’ve been the only person here to not expect anything of me and who sees me as the adult that I am now.” She paused to wipe away some tears. “I’ve changed, Toochi. I’m not the girl you knew 5 years ago and I don’t know how to get that across to you and the others.” _

_ “You’ve been holding back and hiding it all this time,” 2D muttered not accusingly but in realisation. _

 

_ Noodle nodded in confirmation. “Today was just me reaching breaking point.” _

 

_ “You don’t have to carry your frustrations alone,” he told her in an unusually serious voice. _

 

_ She scoffed in disbelief. “Who would I share them with? Murdoc?” _

 

_ “Me,” he said, sounding slightly hurt. “You share them with me.” _

 

_ “I don’t want to increase the burden you already carry,” she argued weakly. _

 

_ “Do you want to hear a quote I read recently?” He interrupted before she could continue. She looked at him questioningly. “I’ll lean on you and you lean on me and we’ll be okay.” _

 

_ “What does that mean?” She asked sceptically. _

 

_ “It means that we don’t have to go through whatever pain or frustrations alone,” he explained gently as he sat beside her on the bed. He grabbed her hand and looked straight into her eyes. “We lean on each other. This place is bloody awful but we can’t carry everything by ourselves, love.” _

 

_ She smiled weakly. “I’m...not good at telling people about this kind of stuff,” she admitted. “But...I will try. For you.” _

 

_ “For me?” 2D blinked in surprise. _

 

_ Noodle nodded sheepishly feeling her cheeks warm. “Yeah, for you,” she tried to explain. “You don’t need to carry your frustrations alone either and…” _

 

_ “And…?” _

 

_ “Does it need saying, Toochi?” she laughed awkwardly. _

 

_ A small smile began to appear on his face and he shook his head. “Not at all,” he assured her. _

 

_ They stared at each other feeling the mood change to something lighter yet still heavy. As if on autopilot the singer leaned down until their noses were just brushing each other. She could hear both of their uneven breathing as she looked up at him, unsure whether to pull away or lean in. 2D made the decision for her and kissed her. It was short but sweet and genuine and when he pulled away they grinned at each other. _

 

_ They were disturbed by a rough knock at the door. “Are you ready to come out of hiding now, Noodle?” Murdoc yelled. _

 

_ Noodle sighed quietly, smile fading quickly. “In a minute,” she yelled back. _

 

_ Murdoc seemed to accept that with a grunt before walking back down the hall. _

 

_ She turned back to 2D. “Alright, I’ll make you a promise,” she told him quietly. “I promise to share my burden with you and to try my best to prevent you from getting hurt.” _

 

_ He smiled and nodded. “And i promise you the same thing,” he replied. “Because this place is hell and I don’t think I could manage it without you, love.” _

 

_ “You’re the only thing keeping me sane here, Toochi,” she repeated his words back to him. _

 

_ “And so are you.” _

 

\---

 

“Are you happy, Noods?”

 

Noodle looked up at the question, staring at 2D questioningly. “I am,” she said slowly growing more concerned. “Are you not?”

 

“I am happy,” he reassured her. “Sorry, didn’t mean to worry you love.”

 

They were lying in bed, Noodle’s head on his lap eyes closed contently. She had sneaked into his room early in the evening wanting some time to themselves. Times like these where they could just lie in bed together with not a care in the world were few and far between and she treasured each moment no matter how short they lasted. They were her favourite moments and she could tell by the way 2D relaxed and smiled more that he felt the same.

“Why do you ask?” she asked curiously.

 

“Wanted to make sure you were happy is all.”

 

She hummed quietly in understanding reaching up to stroke his face affectionately. “Are we still in a living hell?”

 

He shrugged with a small teasing smile. “Not as much of a living hell, no,” he chuckled. “Murdoc can still be an ass but it’s not as bad as on that bloody island.”

 

“That’s true,” she agreed. “But we have each other right?”

 

“That’s right,” 2D nodded. “I’m not going away anytime soon.”

 

“Good, because neither am I.”

 

They fell into a comfortable silence, content to just lie there doing nothing. 2D began to hum the tune of  _ On Melancholy Hill _ after a while. Noodle could practically hear him singing it in her head.

 

“Because you are my medicine…” she sung quietly before she could stop herself.

 

“When you’re close to me,” he finished for her.

 

They didn’t look at each other already knowing they were both grinning and trying to stifle laughter at the slight cheesiness of what just happened.

 

They just leaned into each other and took comfort in each other’s presence.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Wasn't sure if I was gonna make it romantic or not then decided to go for it as I ship them too much
> 
> Please leave kudos/comments if you enjoyed!


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